Hard Rain - 5/5: Town Escape
The Town Escape features the usual end-of-campaign finale. This time, the Survivors arrive back at their point of departure with a supply of diesel fuel. They must climb onto the roof of the Burger Tank outlet and turn on its advertising sign in order to signal to Virgil to come in and pick them up. Turning on the sign triggers the finale, obliging the Survivors to defend themselves until Virgil arrives in his boat at the nearby dock. This chapter has a unique feature affecting gameplay. The hurricane that gradually moved into the area throughout the campaign will hit with full force on occasion, during which time sounds will be drowned out by the howling winds and vision will be obscured. This is likely to be intentional on Valve's part to foster an aura of realism. This effect is less pronounced if the players are indoors at the time. Strategy The Survivors As a general rule, this is one of the easiest finales in the either of the two Left 4 Dead games. The Survivors' experience here will vary a lot, depending on what supplies they left behind in the Burger Tank outlet when they first set out on their mission. The more health packs and grenades left behind previously, the more they will be on hand for the finale. General Pointers: * As per the previous two chapters (Mill Escape and Return to Town), hitting the Tanks with Molotovs is ineffective since the floodwater often extinguishes the flames before they can do any significant damage. * Equally important is holding at least one Bile Bomb or Pipe Bomb in reserve for diversionary purposes after Virgil's boat signals its arrival. However, if the player has kept one in the Burger Tank at the start, this is not necessary. Rooftop Method Possibly the easiest way to do this finale. Players defend from the Burger Tank roof. * The advantages of this spot are compelling: ** Players have two key advantages in a great view to snipe incoming Common and Special Infected alike (particularly useful for the Tank) and forcing all Infected besides the Smoker, the Spitter or the Hunter to go through the painfully slow roof climbing animation before being able to even touch the Survivors. They can be dispatched the moment their heads appear over the parapet. This is also valuable to the team as Molotovs thrown will deal at least some damage before a Tank jumps down and extinguishes itself. ** Rainwater does not collect on the roof (possibly owing to the huge hole in the middle) meaning players' movement speeds aren't affected. ** Restocking between waves of Infected/Tanks is very fast. Players simply jump down the middle hole in the roof, grab what they need and run up through the ladder in the front, the service ladder on the side, or the van in the back. Players should be able to make it back on top easily before the new Horde arrives. * It is essential to stock up on ammo, health or weapons before switching on the sign and to restock in between attack waves. * A key thing to remember is to begin to withdraw to the dock the moment the second Tank goes down. Any final defense (if required) can be made at the dock or from the deck of Virgil's boat. A diversionary Bile Jar or Pipe Bomb should always be used for a clean escape. * Players have two choices of setup here: ** Set one Survivor overlooking the front, another taking care of the back, and two clearing the middle (remember that Common Infected will climb through the hole in the middle) and pick off infected as they approach. On the one hand, it is easier to spot and kill Special Infected before they get near, but on the other hand, Survivors are more prone to being dragged off by a Smoker or a sneaky Jockey. ** Set up all Survivors around the AC behind hole in the middle, and pick off infected as they climb up the sides of the building, with at least one Survivor minding any Infected that try to climb up the middle hole. On the one hand, this method keeps everyone far safer from being dragged off the roof and onto the street, but on the other hand, it gives certain infected (like a Charger) an easier time getting on the roof where they could potentially do a lot of damage. * Once a Tank is announced, all Survivors should try to spot him as soon as possible (AI Bots are particularly good at this, so if a human player gets stuck, simply watch them). The Tank will usually spawn at one end of the map and spotting him early will provide players with a prolonged period of time to saturate him with gunfire as he slowly plows his way through the floodwater stopping occasionally to throw an easily dodged rock. * If the Tank manages to get on the rooftop Survivors should scatter immediately, but stay on the roof as long as possible. All the obstacles and elevation changes make navigation difficult for the Tank, particularly the ledges which players can easily jump but which the AI Tank must laboriously climb. If a Tank gets too close it is easy for a player to jump off the roof (either through the central hole or off to one side) and to then climb back up again. Players should never try to fight the Tank at ground level as this works to his advantage whilst the floodwater seriously impedes player movement. Overall, the range, obstacles and constant elevation changes are terrible for the Tank and invaluable for Survivors. * Remember the Tank can throw cars onto the roof of the Burger Tank and incapacitate unsuspecting Survivors, so it is best for players not to be huddled too close together. However, this is quite unlikely. * There can be random melee weapons, throwable items, and pain pills on the roof if not taken at the start. Inside the Burger Tank Method Setting up inside the Burger Tank. * The Burger Tank is a good option to defend from. It forces the Infected through choke points and offers a clear view and firing line for most of the surroundings while keeping the Infected from just walking in. The downside is the severely limited mobility due to the tight and cluttered space of the Burger Tank and the floodwater. * When defending inside the Burger Tank, melee weapons should be a great advantage as they provide the ability to clear through many infected at once without any delays for reloading. Melee weapons can often be found in the back, near the place Survivors initially start, as they generally spawn in surplus. * When setting up inside the Burger Tank, Survivors should be mindful that Special Infected will have a much higher chance of spawning close to them and being able to attack them. ** Survivors should be particularly careful with Spitters, especially if combined with a Boomer's bile or a Charger's knockdown, as their reduced mobility will be a great problem in avoiding its acid spit. * During Tank events, it's crucial to spot early on which side the Tank is coming from, and try to force it to go through the entire structure. The tight and cluttered environment is harder for the Tank to navigate than the Survivors, which should buy the team time to do heavy damage. * The first aid box usually contains 2 extra health kits; it is rare that more will spawn there. Also, you have quick access to the throwable items, temporary health boosts, first aid kits, and ammo replenishing. Back of the Map Method Setting up at the back of the map, at the spot rescue arrives. * This spot has the distinct advantage of funneling Infected in front of you. They cannot spawn in the water; therefore, they always spawn in front of you. * If using this method, Survivors should be extremely careful as, although they'll have a clear line of sight to any threat, most Special Infected can knock one off into the water and either incapacitate or instantly kill them. ** Chargers can charge a Survivor off the pier for an instant kill or cause them to fall or be incapacitated "hanging" from the simple knock-back. ** Jockeys can ride a Survivor off the pier. If the Survivor is resisting the Jockey, it'll merely incapacitate them as "hanging," if not they'll fall off for an instant kill. ** Hunters can cause Survivors to fall off and be incapacitated "hanging" from the knock-back of pouncing a Survivor nearby. Only affects Versus. ** Boomers can knock Survivors off and incapacitate them from the knock-back of exploding. * In this spot, Tanks are especially dangerous, as a single punch can easily knock a Survivor off the pier for an instant kill. If using this spot, one should move immediately once the Tank music starts. On the Fence Method awaits the Survivors]]If facing the Burger Tank, there is a fence on the right and a stone wall. Survivors can get on it from the roof of the Burger Tank. The Survivors should stay on the stone wall and go as far back on the wall as possible to let other Survivors on it or else they may be pushed off. Mind the Common that try to climb up onto the wall behind the Survivors and Special Infected such as Smokers, Hunters, and Jockeys as these particular SI can knock more Survivors off the wall. When the Tank comes around, get off the wall and jump up the white van to get back up on the roof of the Burger Tank. Rinse and repeat until Virgil comes in on his boat. Safe Room Method Once you start the finale, jump on the cone near the long truck. From there, you should be able to jump onto the truck. Once on the truck, run to the end and jump to the safe room. This strategy is okay for the horde, but once the Tank comes, it is best to go outside, as he is able to break down safe room doors. However, when playing the Last Man on Earth or Lone Gunman mutation, when the Tank approaches, you can enter the safe room, first room to the left, and left again to enter the bathroom. Looking at the door from inside it, crouching at the back — right corner will glitch the tank, making it disappear (like when not attacking for long times on versus and losing it), if you stay there for long enough on LMoE, the second tank may appear and disappear too. This trick can be very useful on Expert difficulty, where one punch (2 on LMoE) from the Tank can incapacitate you and you won't stand back up as when an Special Infected incapacitates you. This glitch may work on normal cooperative gameplay, making all Survivors hide inside, however, this has not been tested so it may or may not work. The Infected The Boomer With the massive hordes, you could potentially do a lot of damage here. Vomiting on a Survivor when there is a Tank can help a lot. Not only can the victim not see, the hordes will slow them down, leaving them perfect prey for the Tank. With good timing and a little luck, your victim will stumble off the roof in their moment of blindness and down into the water. Down there, surrounded by hordes and exposed to Special Infected, your victim has a very slim chance of survival. Work together with your teammates; vomiting on the Survivors will leave them blinded, making it perfect for your teammates to attack the ones who can see. Never go out in the open, try walking around objects to get to your victims. The Charger As the Charger, it's your role to literally be the "battering ram" against the Survivors. If the Survivors decide to fight from the docks, you can show them the error of their ways and charge them off the edge, sometimes making them hang there, and other times plunging them into the water and killing them instantly. If the Survivors take to the roof, you'll have a fun time launching them straight off the roof and into the treacherous water below. Requiring quick timing and precise aiming, it is possible for you to make it near-impossible for at least one of the Survivors to escape. As soon as the rescue vehicle arrives, charge someone towards the safe room. If you've aimed well, you'll be able to bring them back so far that they'll have no hope of rescue. However, if you're lucky, the Survivor's teammates will dash after you to help them, and in doing so, dooming themselves as other Infected surround and overwhelm them. Keep in mind, this will kill you as well as killing the unlucky fool you charge. If you only cause a ledge-hang, have a friend keep that survivor on the ledge, or your sacrifice will be in vain. The Hunter There is a broken green fence that the Survivors must jump over to access the Burger Tank. Pouncing on the last Survivor just before they cross will incapacitate them, provided their teammates don't intervene fast enough. While the Survivor is incapacitated there, it is practically impossible for the other Survivors to help them up, leaving them one Survivor short even before the finale begins. If a Smoker manages to pull a Survivor off the rooftop and into the water, consider pouncing the ensnared victim. This allows for the Hunter to keep the Survivor pinned, while the Smoker is free to move back, recharge his attack quickly, and tug another Survivor off the roof. The Jockey Use the water behind the restaurant to your advantage! Ride a Survivor around the back and off the edge. This will cause the Survivor to hang off the side, leaving the teammate to go help them easy prey for a Charger. A ride that can separate a Survivor from their teammates is a good ride, especially with the hordes and water slowing them down. An even better strategy is to ride them to the edge on the right side facing the water, all the way over to the bushes; from there, drag them to the water, and they should fall off and die. The Smoker While playing as the Smoker, always remember to have your teammates ready to help out. They can take your ensnared victims for you, allowing you to move away and catch your next prey. Just like the Hunter, try grabbing the last Survivor before they jump over the fence. A good spot to grab from is atop the restaurant. Alternatively, if the Survivors decide to fight from the roof, you can wait in the water below and snatch them from there, forcing them down. When the rescue vehicle arrives, try to pull a Survivor as far away as possible. Combined with the other Special Infected, this can prove to be a formidable tactic, forcing the Survivors away from the rescue vehicle and into the water with the Infected. The Spitter Always work with teammates! If another Special Infected has a Survivor in their wrath, spit on them! If the Survivors decide to fight the hordes inside the restaurant, spit in there. Incapacitated Survivors are easy prey to you; go get them, but you can wait until someone comes to save them. The Tank The Tank is the backbone of the Infected and it's his job to deliver the most pain to the Survivors. As the Tank, always aim to divide and conquer. Try to spread the Survivors out by hitting them behind large objects or knocking them out off the roof. Separated Survivors allow for other Special Infected to attack and kill them, especially if they're in the water. Do not attack an incapacitated Survivor if a Hunter or a Smoker already has them locked in a bind. Doing so will more than likely kill your teammate and free that Survivor. Don't avoid the water! In fact, it's your best friend. The Water will douse any molotovs set upon you by the Survivors, and it won't slow you down. It will, however, slow down the Survivors. If ever you can, get them down there and finish them off. Try to hit one of the cars parked in front of the Burger Tank onto the roof. This will likely catch Survivors off guard, and may incapacitate one or more of your targets. Additionally, make use of cars and dumpsters on the ground to incapacitate any Survivors that have been knocked off of the roof. Their reduced speed in the water will improve your chances of hitting your target. Try to do a "siege" method. If you spawn in front of the tank, start hurling a few Rock Throws at the Survivors if they use the rooftop. Chances are they will get hit and possibly slow them down a little. If you approach from behind, try not to do a Rock Throw, since chances are if a player has captions on, they will know where it will be coming from. If any Survivors are loitering behind the Burger Tank, you may be able to simply punch them into the water, killing them instantly. Notes * Often, at the end of the finale, a Tank will spawn very close to the rescue boat. Make sure to kill him if you see him because if he hits your team while they're waiting for the boat, one of two things will happen: either you or a teammate will be hit towards the edge of the boat and be hanging off the side, or a Survivor will be thrown into the river, which will cause instant death. * This is the only finale in any of the games where no Tier 2 weapons, besides the Hunting Rifle, will spawn in an accessible place. This is because the Burger Tank was where the whole campaign started, making the only weapons the ones that you could have started with. * The light sign that said "Ducatel Diesel: 2 miles" now only blinks three pixels and the whole board lighted with yellow pixels, due to the damaging storm. ** On rare occasions, the sign has been known to flash "Caution! Zombies!! Ahead!!!" which may hint to other Survivors that passed by the area and reconfigured the sign dialog. * The Burger Tank appears to have been damaged by the storm upon your return, sporting more holes in the walls and a greater disarray among the tables and chairs. * It is also worth noting that in the PC version of the game, if you decide to hold out on the roof, there is an invisible box or two. It is possible for a melee weapon, usually an axe or possibly a med kit, to spawn here, alerting you to its presence. This only occurs if a player's graphical settings are all on low. If they are medium or higher, the "invisible boxes" turn out to be simple map props. . ]] * On the survival map, if you glitch one way or another out to the ending safe room, start the next level, and get to where you enter the sugar mill itself (the ramp that goes up, then drops off), there will be an invisible barrier. If a vote is passed to change the map to Burger Tank, after restarting, the area you start in is a very small patch of roof, most of the roof made inaccessible by invisible walls, and a dumpster below that. * Exploiting a glitch with the Grenade Launcher that allows Survivors to jump to great heights, it's possible to get on top of the Burger Tank sign. * Weapons found near the white van where Virgil arrives will be covered by the flood, though you can still pick them up and see their outlines. * In this level, it is possible to get back to the safe room without cheating. By jumping onto a cone next to the truck after turning the finale on, and running across the truck, with a simple jump, you can get past the slanted fence leading away from the safe room, and inside. This is, however, extremely dangerous on Advanced and Expert as a Horde will spawn, along with 1-3 Special Infected. * It is possible for a Tank to get stuck inside Virgil's boat; however he will be unable to get out, unless playing on anything which players also play as the Infected. * There is another glitch in here. If the boat comes and is next to the dock, and if a Charger manages to get a Survivor, and you are on the boat, the victim's outline is blue with the animation of getting charged at. The Tank will also be next to the Charger, but will not do anything until you get too close to it. The Charger's pummeling resumes when the player dies. This can cause problems on Campaign, as the campaign will never end. * AI controlled Survivors will not revive players that have been incapacitated while on top of the air conditioning unit on the roof of the Burger Tank. External Links * Town Escape gameplay #1 * Town Escape gameplay #2 ru:Бегство из города Category:Left 4 Dead 2 Category:Hard Rain Category:Finale Category:Chapters